The KenKen Killings Part 4

"That's not true," Roger Randolph said. "What about 4, 1, and 1?"

"Ah, the banker chimes in," Cora said. "Yes, 4, 1, and 1 do multiply and give you 4. But it can't be that in this case, because we just filled in the top square in the second row with a 2. That's one of our three numbers. So it has to be 2, 2, and 1."

"I thought you couldn't have two 2's," Chief Harper said.

"You can as long as they're not in the same row or column. Which is great. It tells you where they go. The 2's have to be on the wings of the triple, and the 1 has to be in between them in the square with the 4."

"I'll take your word for it," Harper said. "Just solve the d.a.m.n thing."

"Mind if I write on this?"

"Not at all."

Cora solved the KenKen.

"So, what does it mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything."

"But it has to."

"Why?"

"It was left there."

"So?"

"Someone went to a lot of trouble to break in here and leave it."

"Yes, they did."

"Why?"

"I have no idea."

"Aren't you curious?"

"Yes, I am. If you find out, I'd like to know."

"You're not going to help me solve this?"

"Solve what? The crime that wasn't?"

"Someone clearly wants you to."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because of the number puzzle."

"It's a KenKen."

"Whatever. The fact is you're being challenged."

"I'm always being challenged. It's like open season on the Puzzle Lady around here."

"You're not going to do anything?"

"There's nothing to do. This either means nothing, in which case there's nothing we have to do. Or it means something we don't know, so there's nothing we can do."

That answer did not satisfy Roger Randolph. "So, what are you going to do?" he said irritably.

Cora frowned. "It's Thursday, isn't it?"

"Yeah. So?"

She smiled. "I'm going to play bridge."

CHAPTER.

7.

"Four hearts," Cora said.

Iris Cooper's face fell. The first selectman had just bid three no-trump and was obviously looking forward to playing a cold contract. Iris was not at all happy to have her partner take her out.

Cora wasn't sorry. With a singleton ace of spades and no other outside entry, she was happy to play in hearts.

Cora smiled when she saw the dummy. Iris had a king, queen, doubleton of hearts. Cora didn't have the ace. In no-trump, the defenders could have knocked out her only entry, rendering the long suit worthless. Iris, trying to take nine tricks without it, would have fallen one short.

"I lose a heart and a club, making five," Cora said, tabling her hand.

Iris Cooper looked at the cards and smiled. "Oh. I see. Well done."

"This round's on me," Cora said. She looked around for a waiter.

Cora was playing penny-a-point bridge in the bar of the Country Kitchen, Bakerhaven's popular home-style restaurant. The bridge group played there every Thursday night. Cora had joined the game when she was still drinking. Somehow the transition hadn't bothered her.

Cora caught the waiter's eye. "I'm having a Diet c.o.ke with a twist of lemon. These bad girls are drinking booze. Fill 'em up, and put it on my tab."

The waiter was just leaving when a middle-aged man in a business suit said, "Are you the Puzzle Lady?"

Cora didn't like being approached by fans, particularly when she was playing bridge. But the man wasn't bad-looking, and pickings had been slim. She mustered a smile. "That's me."

"Miss Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady?"

"That's right. I'm playing cards right now, but if you'd care to stick around..."

"That won't be necessary." The man reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a paper, and thrust it in her hand. "Summons to appear in court. No need to get angry. Just doing my job."

Cora felt the need to get angry. "What!?" she thundered, erupting from her chair. "You low-life son of a b.i.t.c.h! To ambush me at the bridge table! At a game I'm actually winning! Of all the miserable, sneaky, low-down-"

The process server was evidently used to encountering reactions of this sort. Before Cora could even launch into her more vulgar constructions, the man was gone.

Cora followed him out into the parking lot, waving the summons and offering to put an end to his career as a process server forever unless he was able to figure out a way to serve subpoenas on the Internet by typing with his nose. She did not stop until the man's car rocketed out the driveway and disappeared into the night.

Cora went back inside, where her friends were commiserating over her bad fortune.

"What is it?" Iris Cooper asked.

"I don't know," Cora told her. "I'm too angry to read it."

"Let me," Iris said. She took the summons from Cora, smoothed it out, looked it over. "It appears to be a divorce complaint."

"A divorce complaint? How can it be a divorce complaint? I'm not married!"

"It's not a divorce complaint," Iris said.

"It's not? You just said it was."

"I thought it was. It reads pretty much the same. But the guy doesn't want a divorce. He wants an annulment."

"An annulment!" Cora said. "That's ridiculous! I may not remember all my marriages, but I d.a.m.n sure never had one that wasn't consummated. Who is this jerk?"

"Let's see." Iris flipped the page. "Ah, here we are. A Mr. Melvin Crabtree."

Cora's mouth fell open.

CHAPTER.

8.

Sherry couldn't believe it. "Melvin?"

"Yes."

"Your fifth husband?"

Cora waggled her fingers. "Give or take."

"Cora."

"Well, there's a gray area."

"As I recall, you didn't like Melvin."

"Your recollection is correct. Actually, I didn't like any of my husbands, but for Melvin I had a particular loathing."

"You didn't like any of your husbands?"

"Oh, when I married them I did. Otherwise, why would I? Unless they were particularly rich."

"You're not really that cynical," Sherry said. "You're just talking tough because you're scared."

"Why, Sherry Carter, are you lecturing me? I swear, you're acting very maternal."

"That joke's getting stale. You know perfectly well I've been lecturing you for years."

"It's nice to hear you finally admit it."

"You're doing everything in your power to avoid talking about Melvin."

"I'm doing everything in my power to avoid Melvin. The man was out of my life, and here he is, back to haunt me. Even if it is only on a sheet of paper."

"Will he be in court?"

"How the h.e.l.l should I know. I didn't expect to be in court."

"You show this to Becky Baldwin?"

"No. I brought it home to show you."

"I think you need a lawyer. Why don't you ask Becky to represent you."

"She'd probably want me to pay her."

"Lawyers do like to be paid."

"d.a.m.n it."

"What's the big deal, Cora? You got some money from your book sales."

"Yes. Along with my alimony, it keeps me going."

"So what's the problem?"

"He wants to stop my alimony."